Valve is one of the most influential studios of all time, making some of gaming’s greatest hits. So, it’s no wonder that many games take inspiration from the studio’s most popular titles. This year is seeing a resurgence of games like the Valve classicLeft 4 Dead,and plenty of Valve fans couldn’t be happier.
TheLeft 4 Deadgames are staples of four-player co-op shooters, so after a drought of games in the genre, it seems they’re finally making a major comeback. There have been severalLeft 4 Dead-inspired games announced during recent showcases and press conferences, so here’s a list of which ones that fans should keep an eye on.
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Aliens: Fireteam Elite
TheAliensfranchise is one that’s begging for a goodLeft 4 Dead-style video game adaptation. Many thought that 2013’sAliens: Colonial Marinesmight be the video game entry the series needed, but after its poor reception, hopes of a co-opAliensshooter seemed to die down.
Followingthis year’s announcement ofAliens: Fireteam Elite, the dream is alive once more. The third-person squad-based shooter seems to be doing everything right based on a hands-off gameplay demo, which featured a crew of marines fighting off hordes of quick-moving Xenomorphs. TheAliensfranchise is perfect for this style of game because of the many different Xenomorph variants, as well as the memorable personalities of the marines featured in each film.
Aliens: Fireteam Eliteis set to release on July 11, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction
Rainbow Six Extraction,formerly known asRainbow Six Quarantine,has been on the radar for some time. After going through many years of changes and development, the game is finally set to release this year. The first official gameplay trailer forRainbow Six Extractionwas shown off at E3 2021, and featuredRainbow Sixoperators fighting an infectious alien swarm. Designed around three-player co-op, the game screamsLeft 4 Deadin all the best ways possible including its destroyed environments and menacing alien variants.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extractionis set to release on July 24, 2025, for Luna, Stadia, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Back 4 Blood
Simply sayingBack 4 Bloodis inspired byLeft 4 Deadwould be an understatement.Back 4 Bloodis a spiritual successor to the Valve zombie series, as much of the teams that worked on bothLeft 4 Deadtitles are working onBack 4 Blood. The games are very similar with squads of four shooting their ways through parts of zombie-infested America, howeverBack 4 Bloodis upping the ante fromLeft 4 Deadin just about every way. Bigger zombies with more variants, heavier weapons, and crazier scenarios are all a part of what’s settingBack 4 Bloodapart from its Valve predecessors. Anyone looking for an experience as close toLeft 4 Deadas possible without playing the originals should keep an eye onBack 4 Blood.
Back 4 Bloodis set to release on August 03, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
In recent years, there has been no shortage of Warhammer games.Warhammer 40,000: Darktideturned heads when it received an official gameplay trailer because of how much inspiration it seemed to be taking from theLeft 4 Deadseries.The Warhammer 40,000 universe is full of lore and deep storytelling, so fans of the tabletop army-building RPG will most likely get a lot out of a Warhammer video game in the style ofLeft 4 Dead. Non-Warhammer fans might just be converted by the series' gothic horror-inspired architecture and character design, making it a solid choice for Valve-inspired zombie shooting. The developers ofWarhammer Vermintideseem to know what they’re doing when it comes to co-op first-person horde games, so it’s likelyDarktidewill be another hit.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktideis set to release later in 2021 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
RELATED:Back 4 Blood’s Game Pass Release is a Long-Awaited Gift to Left 4 Dead Fans
The Anacrusis
While aliens and zombies are common fodder forLeft 4 Dead-style gameplay,The Anacrusisis changing things up with its distinct visual style.The Anacrusisis a squad-based alien shooterset on a retro 1970s-themed spaceship and it looks like a refreshing take on the genre. Instead of dilapidated buildings and dingy back alleys, the titular Anacrusis is well-lit and colorful. Run-and-gun gameplay paired with a quirky cast of survivors,The Anacrusisis a game to watch forLeft 4 Deadfans looking for something a little less dark and a lot more colorful.
The Anacrusisis set to release in Fall 2021 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
Second Extinction
Second Extinctionis perhaps best described asLeft 4 Deadset in an open world infested with dinosaurs. Dinosaurs are an underused monster type in video games, andSecond Extinctioncapitalizes on that by constantly throwing hordes of them at players. The open-world structure really changes things up, making the game feel like it has its own identity apart from theLeft 4 Deadseries. Perhaps the best part about the game is thatSecond Extinctionis available now in Early Accesson PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, so fans looking for a taste of the dino action can whet their appetites before the game gets an official release.
Second Extinctionis available in Early Access on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and will receive a full release at an unspecified future date.
Redfall
Redfallserved as Microsoft’s mic drop at the end of its E3 2021 presentation. The game is a co-op vampire shooter in development by Arkane Studios. While the announcement trailer didn’t show any gameplay, it certainly set the tone for whatRedfallwill be like. Similar toSecond Extinction’s dinosaurs, vampires are an underutilized video game baddie, and it seems likeRedfallis bringing them back. Other thanRedfall’s vampiric antagonists, little is known about the game. Because it’s coming from Arkane and published by Microsoft, hopes are high for its quality as aLeft 4 Dead-styled title.
Redfallis set to release in Summer 2022 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
